Cliff Hunt is in his fifrth season as the head coach of the Lake ErieCollege men’s basketball program and is already the all-time winningest coach in program history. His teams are responsible for just about every team record in the history books, including most wins in a season (25) and fewest losses in a season (3). Under his direction, the Storm made its only two NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently competing in the second round during the 2006-07 season. His teams also earned the only two Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championships – both regular season and tournament, in program history with back-to-back titles in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. He has compiled an overall record of 72-38, which is the best winning percentage of any coach in the program’s 19 seasons. He was voted AMCC Coach of the Year in 2006 and was also honored that same year and the following one at the NABC Champions Awards.
Prior to Lake Erie, Hunt spent a total of 24 years as a head coach in the high school ranks at West Geauga and Perry. A former Associated Press Ohio High School Coach of the Year, Hunt went 356-194 in his high school career, leading his teams to 11 sectional championships, eight conference championships, four district championships, two regional championships and two state runner-up finishes. He holds the record for most coaching victories at both Perry and WestGeaugaHigh Schools, where his teams won 33 consecutive regular season games and an AP Poll championship. He was voted conference coach of the year eight times, Great Lakes District Coach of the Year five times, Greater Cleveland Coach of the Year four times and was an Ohio Associated Press Coach of the Year. He’s also coached in several all-star games, including the Ohio North-South game, has spoken at numerous coaching clinics and been published in Hooplines Magazine.
A 1969 graduate of Hiram College with a bachelor’s degree in sociology education, he was a four-year letter winner and two-time captain and most valuable player in both basketball and track. He has been inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at both Hiram and his high school alma mater of Strongsville. Hunt also has a master's degree in education from KentState University and resides in Concord with his wife Pam. They have three children, K.C., Kelly and Chad.
After serving as the Storm's floor general for four seasons, Rob Williams is on the other side of the whistle for his third season on the basketball staff and his first as a full-time coach. He was the team's graduate assistant for the previous two seasons. During his career at Lake Erie, Williams started in 88 of 109 games played, averaging 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game. In his final two seasons, he helped the Storm earn two AMCC championships and two bids to the NCAA Tournament. He earned AMCC Honorable Mention as a junior and first-team as a senior.
He finished his playing career with the Storm as the all-time leader in steals with 234. He also ranks in the top five among career leaders in assists (2nd - 380) and points (4th - 1,176).
Williams earned his bachelor's degree in education in May 2007 and earned his master's degree from Lake Erie in 2009, also in education.
Returning for his fifth season with the Lake ErieCollege men's basketball staff is assistant coach Dan D'Amore. He has enjoyed solid success in both men's and women's basketball at the high school level. Prior to Lake Erie, he was the varsity girls' basketball coach at Perry High School where he went 97-20 in a five-year run in which he led his team to three consecutive conference championships and three regional appearances, as well as a school best 22-2 record in the 2001-02 season. He also coached in the highly successful WickliffeHigh School boys' program as a varsity assistant.
D'Amore has earned coach of the year citations from the Chagrin Valley Conference, Lake County News-Herald, Cleveland Plain Dealer and Associated Press.
A 1973 graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College with a bachelor’s degree in education – science, health and physical education, he was a three-year letter winner in baseball. He also earned a masters degree from ClevelandStateUniversity in science education and currently resides in Perry with his wife Nancy.
Kyle Conley joins the Storm staff this season as the team’s graduate assistant.Prior to coming to Lake Erie, Conley spent four seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, The University of Findlay.While there, he helped the Oilers to a four-year mark of 112-16, four NCAA Tournament appearances, three GLIAC South Division championships and a pair of GLIAC Tournament championships.The 2005 team reached the Elite Eight and finished the season ranked first in the final NABC Coaches’ Poll.In the 2006-07 season, Findlay went undefeated in league play. Conley was also on the Findlay staff for the 2007-08 season when the Oilers knocked off Division I Ohio State in an exhibition game on the Buckeyes’ home floor.
Conley also has three years of coaching experience at the high school level, working with the teams at Marion Harding and Elgin high schools.
Prior to earning his degree in business management from Findlay, Conley was a member of the basketball team at TiffinUniversity.He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education at Lake Erie.
